Jacob gives young James a pen to write his letter to Mr. Sawyer

In 1976, a young James Ford (Sawyer) watches his mother and father carried out of a church in coffins after their funeral. He sees them put into a hearse.

Later he is sitting on the steps of the church trying to write his infamous letter to Mr. Sawyer (aka Anthony Cooper). He is having trouble with his pen when Jacob walks up and asks him if he needs a pen. As Jacob hand James the pen, their hands touch lightly. Jacob tells him that he's sorry about his mother and father and James just looks up at him, not saying a word. Jacob walks away as James' uncle Doug walks up.

Doug tells him that they have to get to the cemetery and then asks him what he's writing. Uncle Doug reads the first line of the letter and then tells James that he has every right to be angry at the man who did this to his parents. Doug tells him that he has to move on and "What's done is done." Doug asks him him to promise not to finish that letter and James promises not to. We know that he obviously did finish the letter. James then leaves with his uncle to go to the cemetery.

If you look closely at the second picture of his letter, there are some impressions of something presumably written on the previous page or pages. The first word looks like "You" but that's all I can extract. It's probably not important, but I though it was worth pointing out.

Here we have Jacob crossing paths with a Lostie at a pivotal moment in his life. He helps nudge James in the direction that will eventually bring him to the island. Very interesting and very cool.